North Korea Unveils Nuclear-Powered Submarine

North Korea has unveiled its first nuclear-powered submarine, marking a significant leap in its military capabilities and posing a major security threat to South Korea and the United States.

The North Korean state media released images of what it termed a "nuclear-powered strategic guided missile submarine," showcasing leader Kim Jong Un's visit to major shipyards where warships are being constructed.

While the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) provided limited details about the submarine, experts have already begun to assess its potential impact on regional security.

Moon Keun-sik, a South Korean submarine expert from Hanyang University, estimates that the vessel belongs to the 6,000-ton or 7,000-ton class, capable of carrying approximately 10 missiles45. The use of the term "strategic guided missiles" suggests that these weapons are likely nuclear-capable, significantly enhancing North Korea's deterrence capabilities.

This development is part of Kim Jong Un's ambitious plan, announced during a 2021 political conference, to modernize North Korea's military arsenal5. The wishlist included sophisticated weaponry such as solid-fueled intercontinental ballistic missiles, hypersonic weapons, spy satellites, and multi-warhead missiles5. Since then, North Korea has conducted numerous tests to acquire these capabilities.

The unveiling of this submarine raises concerns about North Korea's ability to launch missiles from underwater, a capability that would be challenging for rivals to detect in advance3. Questions have also surfaced regarding how North Korea, a country under heavy sanctions and economic strain, could acquire the resources and technology to build such advanced submarines.

Moon speculates that North Korea may have received Russian technological assistance in exchange for supplying conventional weapons and troops to support Russia's efforts in Ukraine. He estimates that North Korea could launch the submarine for testing within one or two years before its actual deployment.

Currently, North Korea possesses an estimated 70-90 diesel-powered submarines, one of the world's largest fleets6. However, most of these are aging vessels capable of launching only torpedoes and mines. The introduction of a nuclear-powered submarine would represent a significant upgrade to North Korea's naval capabilities.

As tensions rise in the region, with the upcoming annual US-South Korea military drills set to begin soon, North Korea has intensified its rhetoric against what it perceives as "hostile forces". During his shipyard visits, Kim emphasized the need for "incomparably overwhelming warships" to counter what he called "inveterate gunboat diplomacy".

This latest development underscores the ongoing challenges in achieving denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula and highlights the need for continued diplomatic efforts to address the growing security concerns in the region.